PLRT Summit
Recap the PLRT Summit with this exclusive throwback video, highlighting key moments of the event. Initiated by INITIATE.MY in collaboration with strategic partners, Malaysian Youth Diplomacy (MyDiplomacy) and the Malaysian Youth Council (MBM), the summit brought together 20 young peacebuilders to develop and implement impactful projects aimed at promoting peace and dialogue. The grand finale, held in person, showcased the culmination of their hard work and creativity.
Explore the journey of these young changemakers and relive the highlights of the summit with this professional video feature.
Curious about what PLRT participants and organisers think about peace, religious freedom and tolerance? Let’s hear them out in this video!
PLRT Summit
KUALA LUMPUR, 27-28 July 2024 – The Initiative to Promote Tolerance and Prevent Violence (INITIATE.MY) organised the Peace Lab for Religious Leaders & Thinkers (PLRT) Summit with its strategic partners the Malaysian Youth Council (MBM) and Malaysian Youth Diplomacy (MyDiplomacy). PLRT was built on the success of the Peace Lab for Youth (PLY) in 2021 and was an advanced version of PLY. PLRT was a youth empowerment programme aimed to mitigate radicalisation risks and build social resilience within Malaysia’s multi-racial and religious society through the youth population.
The summit gathered 20 PLRT participants from across Malaysia, including both Peninsular and East Malaysia, for a two-day event. Prior to the summit, participants took part in four weeks of online workshops in May 2024, focusing on the Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB) framework and addressing radicalisation and hate speech through interactive lectures and discussions. Participants received advocacy training, especially in social media campaigning on TikTok, and were tasked with designing projects to promote religious freedom and tolerance in Malaysia under the guidance of mentors.
On the first day of the summit, participants presented their projects, including videos and social media analytics, to their peers, organisers, and PLY alumni. Waskito Jati, the Outreach and Partnership Manager for TikTok in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, briefed participants on the platform’s community guidelines and effective communication strategies for public engagement if they choose to continue their advocacy work beyond PLRT. He also provided insights into TikTok’s policy on filtering political content and political ads, which combines machine learning with human oversight to combat misinformation.
On the second day, PLRT participants showcased their exhibition booths, engaging with a public audience of around 80 people. At the same time, INITIATE.MY Founder Aizat Shamsuddin opened the event, highlighting the PLY programme’s focus on empowering youth to counter extremism through dialogue. He noted the programme’s success in reaching over 100 beneficiaries and producing content that promotes peaceful narratives, and expressed gratitude to the organisers and sponsors. Loke Pak Yen, a European Union Youth Sounding Board Member, delivered the keynote, emphasising the vital role of youth in peacebuilding and advocating for their involvement in decision-making. She urged cross-sector partnerships and greater investment in education and leadership to foster tolerance and peace in Malaysia.
The event continued with a public forum titled “Youth as Peace Agents or Otherwise,” featuring Kasthuri Patto (IPPFoRB), Jason Wee (AoD), Hari Shankar (INITIATE.MY), and Calvin Ohsey (Roman Catholic Church), moderated by Elisa Shafiqah (MyDiplomacy). The discussion emphasised the vital role of youth in peace and security. Kasthuri Patto urged political engagement and accountability while combating misinformation. Jason Wee highlighted structural issues like racial segregation in schools and the need for legal protections against hate speech. Hari Shankar stressed media literacy for youth to counter extremism, while Calvin Ohsey spoke on religion’s dual role in unity and division, advocating for interfaith dialogue and youth participation. The Q&A focused on promoting understanding and addressing radicalisation.
The event concluded with closing remarks from MyDiplomacy’s Goh Hui Xian, MBM’s Eow Shiang Yen, and Terence Serné from the Netherlands Embassy, followed by the graduation of PLRT participants. Two seed grant winners were announced: Thenes A/L Partipan for his video project “Unity in Diversity: Freedom of Religion & Belief” and Sofea Binti Mohd Hannan Guiani Abdullah for her project “Pandang ke Sabah,” each awarded RM1,000 to continue their work.
Through PLRT, INITIATE.MY has built a sustainable network of young religious leaders equipped with the knowledge and skills to promote peace and tolerance for a better Malaysia.
For enquiries and partnership proposals, please email us at salam@kmumalaysia.org
Sekitar 100 peserta dari masyarakat sivil, akademik, media, dan agensi kerajaan menghadiri Sidang Kemuncak PLRT, termasuk wakil dari Pusat Serantau Asia Tenggara untuk Memerangi Keganasan (SEARCCT), Universiti Malaya, Yayasan Luminate, Majlis Peguam, dan Persatuan Pendidikan Diversiti (AoD). 
Loke Pak Yen, Ahli Lembaga Suara Belia Kesatuan Eropah, menyampaikan ucaptama mengenai kepentingan peranan belia dalam pembinaan keamanan. 
Forum awam bertajuk “Belia sebagai Ejen Keamanan atau Sebaliknya?” yang menampilkan Kasthuri Patto (IPPFoRB), Jason Wee (AoD), Hari Shankar (INITIATE.MY), Calvin Ohsey (Gereja Roman Katolik) dan Elisa Shafiqah (MyDiplomacy). 
Terence Serné dari Kedutaan Belanda menyampaikan ucapan penutup, mengucapkan terima kasih kepada penganjur atas usaha mereka dalam memperkasa belia dalam agenda menentang ekstremisme. Selepas itu, beliau menyampaikan sijil kepada peserta dan fasilitator.